In part one, we discussed the symptoms common to devices that are either installed improperly or are out of adjustment. In part two, we will move past the symptoms and focus on adjustment.

Tools required to adjust the exit device are:
- A tape measure in increments of 1/32”
- A Phillips-head screwdriver
- A large flat-head screwdriver
- A pair of long-nosed pliers

Important note: We recommend removing the door from its frame and laying it flat on a table or across a pair of saw horses, with the interior side of the door facing up, prior to attempting any adjustments.

We will keep the primary focus on the top rod. Since locating most exit devices is determined by measuring from the bottom of the door to the center-line of the device, the dimensions for the bottom rod are typically consistent regardless of the overall door opening height. Therefore, it is more likely the source of any malfunctions is due to the length of the top rod. That said, we will also go through the process for adjusting the bottom rod as well.

<- Click here to see exploded view of exit device and part names

Regards,

Chris

When we address entrances in our customer training sessions, most people have a general understanding of hinging methods or the variety of closers and locks and their installation and adjustment requirements. What our attendees seem to gravitate toward are the common sources of service problems. Twisting an adjustment screw on a door closer to affect its closing speed or to lessen the amount of pressure required to open it doesn’t seem to intimidate anyone. Even stuffing shims behind the leaf of a butt hinge comes off as benign. Where we get the most attention is when we cover the topic of exit devices. Everyone seems to have a horror story about an exit device that drags the floor or won’t latch no matter what they try. For the sake of both Kawneer and our customers, we have created a very comprehensive document on the proper fabrication, installation and adjustment of our most common exit devices. The document is still a document though, and we all know the instructions sometimes seem to get lost on a job site.

Therefore, this month, to follow up my previous postings on Curtain Wall and Storefront, I will attempt to simplify the process of diagnosing and curing the out-of-adjustment concealed-vertical-rod exit device. As the test case, I will use the Door-O-Matic (or Falcon brand) 1690 Exit Device.

I will address three common malfunctions associated with these concealed vertical rod exit devices:

Common malfunction #1: The 1690 device utilizes a “button” type strike on the frame header to trigger the latch. Sometimes a device does not re-latch properly because the strike is not positioned correctly to trip the latch when the door closes. This poses a security problem as it may become possible for the door to be pulled open from the exterior even when the device is locked.

Common malfunction #2: Door does not fully close because the latch mechanism is hitting the strike on its interior side and not in its “throat”.

Common malfunction #3: Device has its bottom rod dragging on the floor when the door swings and does not properly seat into the floor prep.

Causes of the malfunctioning units:
The primary cause of the first malfunction is related to the installation and tolerances of the door within the frame. If there is excessive clearance between the top rail of the door and the frame header, the strike may not project deep enough into the latch mechanism to re-latch it upon closing.

Service options to remedy top door clearance issue:

• Raise the door within the frame to reduce the clearance and increase the depth of the strike projection into the latch, or
• Shim the strike down away from the door header to achieve the same result. Many veteran installers refer to this second option as the “Penny-Fix” since a handy shim is a coin that can be placed between the strike and the header.

The primary cause of the other two malfunctions is most likely an improperly adjusted exit device. Critical adjustments occur in regard to the length of the rods themselves — if they are either too short or too long, the operation of the device will be adversely affected.

• Rods too short: When the touch pad is depressed, rods will not lift high enough to fully unlatch the top mechanism and will not fully lift the bottom rod. In this case, it may be possible to open the door, but the bottom rods may drag because the top latch was not fully unlocked. Therefore, when the door closes, the latch mechanism hits the strike improperly and the door remains propped open.
• Rods too long: The top latch will properly disengage, however this will occur too soon and the bottom rod will not be adequately lifted to clear the strike prep located in the threshold or the floor. This may make the door difficult or impossible to open, or it may be another reason the bottom rod drags on the floor.

With the 1690 device, the solution for these two malfunctions is:

Pull the rods and adjust their length to the appropriate dimension and reinstall them into the door. Kawneer publishes the exact dimensions of these rods, as well as instructions on the procedures to remove, adjust and reinstall them. In part two, I will go through the procedure to make these adjustments and provide information on how to not only take it apart, but also to get it all put back together without any parts left over.

Stay safe, secure and well adjusted!

Thanks,

Chris

But Kawneer can help.

Kawneer has just added two new thermal windows configurations to its hurricane impact resistant portfolio. We now offer the 8400TL IsoLock® Horizontal Sliding Window and our AA®3350 IsoPort™ Single Hung Window. Both configurations are thermally broken and were tested for large and small missile impact. The 8400TL IsoLock® Horizontal Sliding Window, which is a 4” deep pour and debridged thermal window product, achieved a design pressure of +/- 90psf and water performance of 15 psf. The AA®3350 IsoPort™ Single Hung Window is a 3-1/2” deep polyamide thermal window product that has achieved a design pressure of +/- 50 psf and water performance of 15 psf. Both products were tested with multiple installation options making them ideal for new construction or retrofit applications.

<-- AA®3350 IsoPort™
Single Hung Window

8400TL IsoLock®
Horizontal
Sliding Window -->

These are just a few of the thermal hurricane impact resistant products that Kawneer has to offer, but I hope you’ll visit our hurricane impact resistant webpage for more information.

Stay dry, stay warm and stay safe.

Regards,

Lisa

It has been just over two months since the introduction of Kawneer’s newest door product, the AA®250/425 Thermal Entrance Door. Introduced to provide an additional solution to meet the increasing requirements of energy codes that are requiring lower and lower u-values, the AA®250/425 is a truly thermally broken product, which still offers Kawneer’s industry leading dual moment corner construction.

Corner construction
(Click image to enlarge)

Our long-standing approach to thermally improved doors has been our Insulclad® Entrance, which is a clad version of our standard door product.  In essence, this product is not truly thermally broken, but it does add value to the thermal performance over conventional entrance doors.  The new AA®250/425 door, however, achieves its increased thermal characteristics through polyamide struts. The polyamide struts create the thermal break or barrier separating the exterior surface from the interior surface. And while the polyamide struts are certainly not new to the industry, they are still somewhat new to door product offerings. 

Polyamide
strut used as thermal barrier(Click image to enlarge)

• Any thoughts on this type of design approach for products that will be touched, operated, or simply put, used on a daily basis? 
• Does it really matter what the thermal break is, or is the more important issue to have the increased thermal performance or lowered u-values? 

Another new concept within the AA®250/425 is the vertical stile options. Traditionally aluminum storefront entrances have been made available in three width options; narrow (2-1/8”), medium (3-1/2”), and wide (5”).   The AA®250/425 is offered in two stile widths: narrow (2-1/2”) and wide (4-1/4”).

• What are your thoughts on this change? 
• Are we locked into an industry that will not accept change?
• Is breaking with tradition needed to move the industry forward? 
• Are having more or different choices more desirable or less desirable? 

I could give more information; features-functions-benefits about the AA®250/425 but you can find that on our website. Click here to see more. 

Since we’re on the subject of thermally broken products:

• How long do you think it will be before thermally broken products become the only option available, 5-10-12 years?  
• Will there be a coating, such as some type of paint, which might give the thermal characteristics needed? 
• What about nano-technology, will it offer something in the near future? 

I know I veered off the subject of a newly released product but hopefully this will open your mind to think about our industry in new terms.  I’m certainly not sure where we will be 5/10/12 years down the road relative to commercial glazing but I suspect things will be different and products will not be the same as they are today…what do you think?

Best regards,

Donnie

“US architecture billings index falls in April – AIA.”¹ With headlines like these abounding in the marketplace, industry conventions like AIA’s provide an oasis of relief from a number of perspectives.

The first is that thousands of manufacturers, students, architects and industry influencers from around the world attended. The fact we all were there, in the face of these tough market conditions, is the first relief.

The second is that innovation is still alive and thriving in these challenging times. Kawneer itself was showcasing a number of new products and Alcoa Architectural Products, a sister company, made a big splash by launching their new EcoClean line.

Not only did Kawneer launch three new products – 1600 Ultra Thermal (UT) Curtain Wall System™, AA®250/425 Thermal Entrance Doors and Clearwall™ SB (Shear Block) Curtain Wall - at this show, we showcased products launched last year including Versoleil™ Single Blade Sunshade, Clearwall™ SS curtain wall, Trifab® 451UT (Ultra Thermal) framing, IR 501UT (Ultra Thermal)  framing, and AA®3350 IsoPort™ Horizontal Sliding window.

Another major addition to the booth was the Traco products, which were showcased for the first time along with the Alcoa brand since the former’s acquisition by Alcoa. And it was not only us: a number of other glass and system manufacturers had some really good products to showcase. I was lucky enough to look at most of the exhibitors’ products and was enthused by the spirit of this industry to keep on improving and raising the bar.

The last sense of relief I had was from the fact that the architects, for whom we were there for in the first place, are still interested in innovative products; that can do more with less, reduce a building’s energy footprint, and still look distinctive enough to prove that the practice of architecture has maintained its artistic and scientific equilibrium. As we look ahead, Kawneer, Traco and Alcoa Architectural Products will continue to bring architects and glaziers more exciting products (which are going through the development pipeline as we speak) and will raise the bar again for the industry like we’ve been doing for more than 100 years.

I would like to hear your feedback on our new products and innovations.

Best regards,

Jot

 ______________
^1Reuters, May 18, 2011

Image1: EcoClean web page, click to enlarge image.  Click here to view web page 

Image 2: Kawneer Booth at AIA, click to enlarge image

Image 3: 1600SS™ Curtain Wall outfitted with Versoleil™ Single Blade SunShades (left) and Clearwall™ SS Curtain Wall (right), click to enlarge image 

Image 4: AA®250 Thermal Entrance Door with 451UT (Ultra Thermal) Framing, click to enlarge image 

Image 5: IR501UT (Ultra Thermal) Framing with Horizontal Versoleil™ Single Blade SunShade and InLighten® Light Shelf, click to enlarge image 

Image 6: AA®900 IsoWeb® Projecting Window with actuator and AA®3350 IsoPort™ Horizontal Sliding Window, click to enlarge image

Image 7: Traco NX-3500 Series Projecting Window, NX-5000 Series Double Hung Tilt Window and NX-3700 Tilt-turn Window, click to enlarge image 

As of this writing, the BBI legislation is simply a proposal awaiting Congress. Whether Congress passes the BBI in its initial form, revised or reworked entirely, it is clear that energy consumption is at the top of the minds of Washington. Here is what we know from the White House’s proposal:

1. Tax Incentives – Under the current proposal the President wants Congress to alter the existing tax deduction for commercial building upgrades to a credit and increase the program by $1 billion. Currently section 179D of the tax code is used, but that could change with the passage of this proposal. 

2. More financing opportunities for Commercial Retrofits – The administration aims to make financing available to the smaller commercial projects through loans backed by the Small Business Administration. The President’s budget will also propose a new pilot program through the Department of Energy to guarantee loans for energy efficiency upgrades at hospitals, schools and other commercial buildings.

3. “Race to Green” for state and municipal governments that streamline regulations and attract private investment for retrofit projects – This section is to entice states with grant money for those who alter or develop codes and standards that promote and increase energy efficiencies. 

4. The Better Buildings Challenge – A direct challenge to CEO’s and university presidents to be greener. 

5. Training the next generation of commercial building technology workers – The government is looking into providing more workforce training in areas such as energy auditing and building operations.

Allowing building owners more tax incentives could provide enough enticement to get owners moving. The BBI looks to offer a more generous credit than its predecessor the Building STAR Energy Efficiency Act of 2010. This coupled with improving economic outlook might spur owners to begin renovations on existing structures or even develop new structures. Whatever the outcome of the BBI, clear signs from the government and Corporate America show us the country is moving towards more energy efficient buildings every day. Luckily, Kawneer is uniquely prepared for this with our vast line of products that improve building envelope energy efficiency. Not only could Kawneer products save you money on your energy bills, but they could also provide tax deductions and credits thanks to Uncle Sam.

Did you know?

Income taxation has been around globally for centuries, but has only consistently existed in America since the 16^th Amendment officially became part of the Constitution in 1913. Prior to this, short lived income taxes were legislated and repealed constantly with less than 1% of the population actually paying income taxes.

Best regards,

Chris

U-values, aka U-factors, which measure the rate of heat transfer through an object, have become the industry standard for differentiating fenestration products. We see them all the time in residential and commercial fenestration products. U-values are easy to understand on individual components (low = good), but the effect of glass and aluminum coupled together to form a homogeneous product makes the total U-value slightly more complicated. To get an accurate product U-value, the glass, spacer and aluminum properties must be known, as well as the sizing and configuration of each. For Kawneer product assemblies, complex thermal simulation programs are run to determine the effective U-values. Kawneer offers products with superior U-values such as 7500 Wall® curtain wall, AA®900 IsoWeb® Window and Trifab® 451UT (Ultra Thermal) framing system.

Medical Information Technology, Inc. – MEDITECH Southcoast Fall River, Massachusetts. (click image to enlarge)

A strategic combination of existing products were integrated into an advanced façade to meet the performance requirements for the project.

Click here view PDF of Project Profile

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the numerical term for the product’s ability of to block heat from the sun. Much like U-values the lower the number the better the product is at blocking unwanted heat gain. Those in either very warm or very cool climates will find that SHGC has a big effect on determining fenestration needs. Warm climates where energy consumption is dominated by air conditioning will strive for low solar heat gain, while cool climates will strive for high solar heat gain to allow more of the sun’s warming energy to enter and stay in the building. In some cases SHGC is more important than U-values in determining the proper fenestration. Low-E coatings and Sunshades are two of the best weapons for controlling SHGC. The ability to control the sun’s energy is vital towards heating/cooling the building interior. The more you can use natural energy in your building the less man-made energy is required.

Kawneer sun shades were used to help control SHGC on the Hot Springs Intermediate School project in Hot Springs, Arkansas. (click image to enlarge)

Click here to view project profile

Visible Transmittance (VT) is another quality that can affect energy efficiency. Simply put VT is the amount of light your fenestration allows into the building (think limousine tint versus clear glass). Allowing more light into the building can reduce the need for artificial indoor lighting thus reducing electricity usage. Multiple studies have shown that natural lighting can lead to increased productivity and even better overall health. In response to this modern construction concept, there have been calls for more and more of the outside world to be accessible while indoors. In fact, the New Green Construction Code set to be released in 2012 calls for 50 percent daylighting across the total floor area in some buildings. You can enhance the amount of natural daylighting penetrating to the interior of the building through the use of light shelves such as Kawneer’s InLighten®. A combination effect of InLighten® Light Shelf and 1600 SunShade® both increase VT and reduce SHGC when used together.  

Radiance image study of room modeled with light shelf and without. (click image to enlarge)

In these images, you can see direct light entering this room and creating glare and heat on the table top. By adding a Light Shelf to this elevation, the light is directed up and deeper into the room. This reduces the glare on the table; reduces the heat associated with direct light and creates a comfortable well-lighted work space.

Looking at the Department of Energy’s website for U.S. Building Energy usage chart for 2008 data, lighting accounted for 15.9 percent of the energy usage, while space cooling was 13.8 percent and space heating was a whopping 22.3 percent. That equates to approximately 52 percent of the energy used. Optimizing U-values, Solar Heat Gain Coefficients and Visible Transmittance can lead to significant savings if the appropriate thought is put into the design of the fenestration system. A handy reference table is available online from the independent Efficient Windows Collaborative, which shows the relationships between climate and each of the sections listed above. Understanding your regional climate and how these three measuring tools are utilized can put U ahead of the competition.

Fun Fact – The word window comes to us from the Old Norse word vindauga, a compound made up of vindr,” wind” and auga, “eye” reflecting the fact that at one time windows contained no glass.

Best regards,

Chris Lipp

All major markets in the commercial sector, retail buildings, office buildings and hotels are forecasted to decline in 2011. The retail sector is expected to recover during the second half of 2011, but the inability of the residential construction market, a primary driver of retail construction, to decisively emerge from its extended slump might delay the recovery or moderate the rate of growth.

The office sector will continue to languish due to high unemployment rates, an uncertain regulatory environment and fluctuations in office vacancy rates. The large amount of unoccupied office space is expected to be a significant drag on new construction in the office market as tenants upgrade to existing high-quality space and refrain from developing new facilities.

The hotel sector is expected to be adversely impacted by the soft business and leisure travel markets. Most construction in this sector is likely to be renovations of existing facilities in the upscale segment. New construction will also likely be impeded by financing issues, with banks reluctant to underwrite projects while hotel occupancy rates are still falling.   

The multifamily residential sector, comprising condominiums and rental units, will likely continue to decline during the first half of 2011, but is forecasted to bottom-out this year, after declining for the previous four years.

The manufacturing sector will continue to fall with another double-digit decline expected in 2011. Modest capacity utilization rates are restraining new construction in this sector and until capacity utilization rates top eighty percent, expansion in manufacturing construction is unlikely.

The education sector is expected to be relatively stable in 2011. However, weak state and local government revenues, the primary drivers of educational building construction, will continue to impact school construction and stagnant endowments will affect college and university spending.

The healthcare sector is also forecasted to be relatively stable in 2011. Higher borrowing costs and escalating healthcare costs are expected to dampen investments in new healthcare facilities. However, given the aging population and medical facilities, the medium- and long-term prospects in this sector remain positive.

The public building sector is most likely to experience a high single-digit decline in 2011. With the impact of the government stimulus funds waning, new spending in this sector faces an uncertain future in the short-run. 

Best,
Andy Nag

Primary among these is the industry’s relationship with its workforce. Influenced by dire market conditions, most organizations in the industry restructured during the downturn and experienced extensive productivity gains that continue to yield results.  However, an impending challenge for these organizations would be to adequately cater to their customers as the market gradually returns to relative normalcy.

A second issue concerns commercial construction credit. The tight project financing scenario and anemic public finances that accompanied the credit crisis compelled developers and owners to ascertain and avail alternate methods of obtaining financing.  The situation allowed for a steady growth of hitherto under-appreciated funding techniques like public-private partnerships and private equity. But despite a surge in such novel financing practices, commercial construction projects continue to get deferred at atypical rates.

Another industry trend accelerated by the rambling recession is modular construction. In an effort to maintain margins under increasing pricing pressure, organizations adopted technological solutions to streamline activities across the supply-chain. The potential decline in profitability was accentuated by rising material costs, especially during the latter part of the down-cycle. Consequently, several organizations had recourse to technology platforms like Building Information Modeling (BIM). The uncertain market environment necessitated predictable outcomes and dictated closer collaboration among stakeholders within the project cycle, and technologies like BIM enabled such interaction.

The recession also required companies to focus on customer initiatives. As the reserve of profitable projects in commercial construction dwindled, companies revived their focus on customers to win business. Several organizations implemented customer engagement and acquisition programs to retain strategic customers and acquire potential customers. In an effort to cost-effectively publicize differentiated, augmented service offerings to their customers, several companies in the industry tentatively espoused a variety of social media tools.

With the downturn in commercial construction slated to bottom-out in 2011, it is imperative that the industry retains the improved practices that emerged out of arguably one of the worst circumstances for the construction industry. In the event of a protracted incline, as many economists predict, to a more sustainable future, the industry will likely have ample opportunity to assimilate the lessons learned from the recession.

I’m interested to hear what lessons you have learned during this recession. Please share with me in the comments section.

The most common type of insulating glass unit is composed of two pieces of glass separated by a hollow aluminum spacer located between the two glass panes at the perimeter edge of the unit. Conventional aluminum spacers have many advantages: they are lightweight, durable and relatively low cost. However, the drawback to a conventional aluminum spacer is its conductive properties, which sometimes could cause the edges of the glass to lose more heat than the center of the glass. In order to overcome the thermal inefficiency of conventional aluminum spacers, a new type of spacer product called “warm-edge technology” has evolved in the industry.

What is Warm-Edge Technology?

Warm-edge refers to the type of spacer material used to separate the panes of glass in an insulating window unit. If the material conducts less heat or cold than a conventional aluminum spacer at the edge of the glass, it is considered to be warm-edge.

Why Warm-Edge Technology?

One of the benefits of warm-edge spacer technology is improved thermal performance. Typically, warm-edge spacers are many times less conductive than aluminum spacers. Since most of the heat loss through a window occurs at the edge of the unit, standard aluminum spacers act against the thermal performance allowing heat to escape. Another benefit is reduced condensation. The material used for many warm-edge spacers is often a very good insulator and provides a more even temperature distribution across the surface of the glass. This increase in temperature raises the dew point, reducing the possibility for condensation.  The reduced condensation minimizes the opportunity for any type of moisture damage or mold. Other benefits of warm-edge spacers include: reduced sound transmission, ability to be applied to virtually any shape, enhanced longevity, and durability.

Kawneer and Warm-Edge Technology

Traco, a division of Kawneer, uses warm-edge technology in their NEXGEN™ Energy Spacer™.  There are different levels and grades of warm-edge spacers available.  As far as thermal performance is concerned, the NEXGEN™ Energy Spacer™ ranks among the top warm-edge spacers as far as thermal and overall performance is concerned. For more information visit traco.com.

The conventional aluminum spacer is still the most common in the market today. But with the benefits of warm-edge spacer technology, why not consider it, or the NEXGEN™ Energy Spacer™, when specifying your project. Have you used warm-edge technology before? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Best,

Lisa